Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-03-19

D1me1hey I'm BFsExlmG absmE Eaffsr-
Entity 81 Aesisn On Makfnx Rates
-AhappeFs TakfnG maasers
IN Thefr @wn mmnas.
The Chieses TysBE.< makes tie fol-
IOwinR rspors Of TIE railroad dilemma.
Il Myss
The more the railroad oficials try to
bring aboat uniformity Of aston IN
makina rates under the nsW later
State Cemmersa iAw, the more DO thsy
seem 10 BE- getting apart, and the iadi-
cations are that s8eh K04d will h&se 20
aot independently and make saeh rates
a. il nav deem bsst. The PennsyI'
vamia R3iiFoa3 has already taken an N
Sspsndeus position, and Published such
Exceptionally i0w rates from some Of
the Interior competing points on tbe
Pan Handle and the Fort Wayne roads
As the other roads claim they are IN
able 20 meet. Another serious trouble
that lsomed up At the Deesings Of the
Local Freight Commistee within the
Last two days IL q conflict between the
Lake Shore and the Michigan reads re-
RaFding the rate 70 be established from
Detroit 70 Bn9Aie. The Lake shore In
sissa that ten -cena rate from Detroit
10 Chicago should be MAIDS all tie year
round on grain. As navigation IL open
nearly eight months Of The year sueh
action would eempel the Michigan
roads % 20 out Of the grain trafhe en-
tiresy daring that period Of time, be-
Gauss IL would prevent them from Goa
pstina against the lake lines. The
Laks Shore makes the above demand to
eFoteet ita local traffic. Bat the Chi-
caRo d Grand Trunk and Canadian Pa
eifie roads say they do nos care red
copper for the lecal tRaflc Of the Lake
Shors, aud they mean to look out fer
and protect their own interests. They
say they mean 10 make sach rates &s are
Jest and reasonable and which will
give them q fair proportion Of the
trAf1ie 81 the year round, regardless Of
the wishes Of the Lake Shore or any
ether competitor.
The disposition shown by the rail-
roads to combine for the purpose of
keeping up high rates IL being met By
The shippers and merchants By getting
40 counter combinations for the puF-
pose Of breaking the rates. Il was
stated Ia a dispatch from Minneapolis
NBHhEAAME y
and Sc. Paul shippers had combined to
give ell the business they could 90 the
Central and the Burlington
a Northern. This report turns out 70
be true and causes great dismay among
The Northwestern Iinee. The Milwau-
kee a St. Paul and Chicago 4 North
western, which have important local
points 90 protect, wanted higher through
rates than some Of the other roads.
Owing 30 the combination of shippers
they must either 90 out Of the through
business. 10 keep mp their local business
90 they have 10 make low through rates,
and thus be forced TO also lower their
local rates. IL IL admitted thas they
are placed in bad position, for which
there seems 20 be no relief.
II lB stated that similar combination
is being formed by tbs shippers to force
Eastern lines to make the rates a. low
a. possible. IL IL understood that thsy
mean to send the bulk of their grain
traffic over the Grand Trunk to Mon
treAl. As this road has no important
points this side OF Port Huron to pro-
teet, 1t can make much lower rates than
the American through lines 10 she At
lantic seab0ard, and some OF the latter
will either have to 90 out Of the through
business or make rates that will compel
them 90 materially reduce their local
rates. All this goes to show that under
the new Law il will be useless for the
railroads 10 keep mp combinations for
the purpoee OF keeping up uniform
rates. The conditions and ercum-
stances OF the various roads are so diff
feReut that what Is COED rate for one
road is bad one for another.
The trunk lines aGd Central Traffic
Association roads had to back water IN
the matter OF Mississippi river percent
age basis. The trunk hAss had resolved
10 charge rates to Mississippi river
points according TO actual mileage IN
stead of ll6 per cent. of the Chicago
rates to and from all Mississippi river
points. This would have prevented the
Of rates to aud from Mis-
souri, river points. and Of coarse the
Missouri river roads would not stand IL
and declared shat they woGld have moth
ing to do With the Central Traffic Asso-
citation II the action was carried out.
The special committee of Eastern aud
Western managers and Commissioners
Blanchard aud Midgley held a meeting
yesterday 30 see n the trouble could not
be adjusted without serious m sure.
After an animated discussion the East
ern managers thought discretion the
better part of valor and agreed to leave
the pescentage basis at 1i6 per cent. on
MisseaFi river points via ali Mississippi
river points. committee consisting of
Commissioners blanchard, Midgley and
FaiihoFn and the general freight agents
OF the reads interested was appointed
to adjust the mileage divisions between
the Eastern and Western lines on Mis-
soaFi river business. The committee
meets next Thursday and will report to
q general meeting March 22d.